Spring Arena

Saturday, 30 September 2017

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) clears the Air yesterday
on its position‘on the news making the round as to whether it has in custody or not,
the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu where it said nothing of such ever happened.

It also said the military did not in
any way raid the home of Kanu, saying it watched the operation live and can
justify that his home was not raided by the military.

Speaking at a press briefing in
Abuja, yesterday, Director Defence Information, (DDI) Major General John
Enenche, said the people that came out to attack the military were the Biafra
Security Service and the Biafra National Guard, adding that it is not right for
them to block the roads and be collecting tolls and intimidating law-abiding
citizens of the state.

On the proscription of IPOB by the
Federal Government and South East governors, Enenche noted that the statement
he issued two weeks ago did not say “proscription” but a “warning” to the
parents to warn their children, adding that due process was followed by the
government before proscribing them as a terrorist organisation by a competent
court.

He said: “It is not the
responsibility of DHQ to declare Nnamdi Kanu wanted. Nnamdi Kanu is not in the
custody of the military. “Nobody raided Kanu’s home and I stand to be justified
not from the information I got. I was watching it live, was monitoring it live,
speaking with them on the ground.

“I think I later confirmed that
there was nothing to actually justify the legality of IPOB members mounting
roadblocks. I saw the militancy, nobody told me and I saw the actions there. We
are still investigating.

“The military did not proscribe
IPOB. Due process was followed to proscribe them. The job of the military was
to diagnose security issues and warned the public of consequences and that is
part of our media operations.

“We did our operations very well
otherwise that weekend would have been the longest weekend in this country and
we are also very careful in choosing our words and we know the law very well.”

On whether DHQ is not alarmed about
the militarization of the country, a state in which the United States of
America claimed the country was, the defence spokesman noted that the Armed
Forces of Nigeria was not alarmed by what is being analysed by the US, adding
that people understand in a different perspective, but the military sees and
understands in a different perspective, too.

“So, it is the military that would
tell you the signs and symptoms of a security ailment because it is only a
doctor that can tell you that somebody has cancer or malaria. Whatever another
person is seeing they will not see it in military perspective.

“Other countries have passed through
this, if you go into history, before getting to where they are as developed
countries today. Like in China you see one policeman inside a car, you hardly
see a military man outside and it depends on the developmental process and what
you have passed through. That’s why in simple terms I will tell you that we are
not alarmed at all,” he said.